Medical sterilizations are frequently performed on individuals to prevent unintended pregnancies. There are a variety of medical procedures that can be conducted to sterilize an individual, and both males and females can undergo the process. For either sex, and in all of the various procedures, a sexual organ of the individual is disrupted to prevent sexual reproductive processes in the individual. Based solely on anatomical considerations, male sterilization procedures are preferred due to the relatively superficial location of the vas deferens, the vessels that allow sperm to leave the epididymis and enter the ejaculatory duct. In some countries, however, social and political pressures override these anatomical concerns, and female sterilizations are more prevalent than procedures on males.
In the United States and other developed countries, the vasectomy, a medical procedure in which the vas deferens vessel is disrupted, has become the prominent sterilization procedure. As a result of this disruption, the ejaculation of sperm is prevented and the male is therefore effectively sterilized. The male remains otherwise sexually functional following the procedure.
There are currently two predominant methods of performing vasectomy procedures: the scalpel/incision method, and the no-scalpel method. In a conventional scalpel/incision vasectomy procedure, a scalpel is used to make two incisions in the scrotum to expose the vas deferens. Once the vessel is exposed, mechanical disruption of the vessel is performed. The disruption can be accomplished by various techniques, such as suture closures and cauterization. The need for incisions with this procedure make it somewhat undesirable for various reasons. For example, making incisions in the scrotum of a patient instills apprehension in many male patients, and likely serves as a reason for avoiding the procedure. Furthermore, the use of incisions generally necessitates the need for a local anesthetic, which may require an injection that can be equally as intimidating. Also, the incisions can lead to excessive bleeding, a relatively long healing time, and an increased possibility of post-procedure infection. Lastly, to complete the procedure, a physician must use stitches to close the incisions, which requires valuable physician time and may result in less comfort to the patient following the procedure.
The no-scalpel method of performing a vasectomy represents an improvement over the conventional scalpel/incision method because no incision is made and no stitches are required. Rather, in this procedure, a blunt puncture in the scrotum is made with a non-cutting blunt probe that teases the tissue apart. The puncture opening is stretched so that the vas deferens can be accessed. Next, the vas deferens is disrupted by the same techniques as those in the conventional method, such as suture closures and cauterization. Following disruption, the small puncture is able to close without requiring stitches. Therefore, bleeding and possibility of infection are reduced, but still remain. Although this technique represents an improvement over the scalpel/incision technique, it still constitutes an invasive procedure.
Considering the state of the prior art, a need exists for a non-invasive method of performing a vasectomy. Also, a need exists for novel medical apparatuses and devices that facilitate such non-invasive methods.